Hs2 News

Phase one of a the HS2 rail link between London and Birmingham has been delayed by up to five years by the British government. With attention diverted by the ongoing Brexit drama, transport minister Grant Shapps revealed it could now be between 2028 and 2031 before the first trains run on the route.

The UK government has backed transport improvements across the northern of England with £400 million of extra funding. More than £100 million will go towards local road schemes to bust congestion pinch-points and speed up journeys, while an extra £300 million will help push forward plans for Northern Powerhouse Rail to bolster links between Northern towns and cities with more frequent and faster services.

UK transport secretary Chris Grayling has confirmed the majority of the preferred HS2 route from Crewe to Manchester and the West Midlands to Leeds. The government hopes new HS2 trains will carry over 300,000 people a day and triple the number of seats available out of Euston at peak hours.

Plans for a potential High Speed 3 rail link in the north of England have been mooted, before work on the already controversial HS2 has begun. A report from the boss of the HS2 scheme, Sir David Higgins, released earlier has said better rail links in northern England were “desirable” and “possible” after being asked to look at ways of maximising the benefits of HS2.

Network Rail has today welcomed the report of the HS2 deliverability review as a clear statement of the benefits an integrated approach could deliver for passengers, freight users and local communities.

Over 100 towns and cities on Britain’s existing railway lines could benefit from quicker, more frequent journeys and better connections when HS2 phase two is complete, according to a new report published today by Network Rail.

A new £32bn high speed rail line between London and Birmingham is a step closer to becoming a reality after a Network Rail report has found that alternative options would not be able to generate the capacity neeeded, according to reports.

David Higgins, Network Rail chief executive, said: “HS2 is a vital infrastructure project of national importance. It will be a hugely significant enhancement to the national rail network and will unlock tremendous capacity to tackle, what will be by 2024, critical overcrowding on the West Coast Main Line.